UPDATE - Husband of ex-Scottish leader released without charge over funding investigation

UPDATES WITH RELEASE OF PETER MURRELL; REVISES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - The former chief executive of the Scottish National Party (SNP) was released Wednesday after his arrest in connection with an investigation into the party’s funding and finances, police said.

Peter Murrell, 58, the husband of former party leader and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, was questioned by detectives after being taken into custody early Wednesday.

Police Scotland has been investigating the £600,000 ($750,000) that was raised by Scottish independence campaigners and how it was spent.

Later, it said in a statement that Murrel had been released without charge pending further investigation.

Officers also carried out searches at a number of addresses as part of the investigation.

A large police tent was pitched outside the couple's home in Glasgow, while a sizeable police presence was seen at SNP headquarters in Edinburgh.

Last month, Murrell resigned from the SNP after taking responsibility for misleading the media about party membership numbers.

The move by Murrell, an influential figure in the party, came a day after the resignation of SNP media chief Murray Foote.

In a statement, Sturgeon said she had "no prior knowledge" of plans to arrest her husband, according to media reports.

"It would not be appropriate to comment on a live police investigation," said a spokesperson for the former Scottish first minister.